Integrated loyalty program infrastructure

Abstract

In accordance with an example embodiment, there is disclosed herein a loyalty program directed to consumers of media content such as television. A member of the loyalty program receives rewards for various pre-defined activities. The rewards can be accumulated and redeemed at a future time.

1 . An apparatus, comprising:
 an interface for receiving a brand federated data report comprising data representative of a viewer engagement with pre-defined media content, and data indicating that the viewer forwarded the media content; and   an awards decision system for calculating award points based on the data representative of viewer engagement and data indicating that the viewer forwarded the media content;   wherein the viewer is a member of the loyalty program.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the brand federated data report further comprises data representative of a review posted by the viewer; and
 wherein the awards decision system further considers the data representative of the review for calculating awards points.   
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the brand federated data report further comprises data representative of whether audio content was muted; and
 wherein the awards decision system further considers the data representative of whether audio content was muted for calculating awards points.   
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the brand federated data report further comprises data indicating whether the media content was viewed in a full-screen mode; and
 wherein the awards decision system further considers the data indicating whether the media content was viewed in a full-screen mode for calculating awards points.   
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein brand federated data report further comprises receives data representative of competing media available during a time period when the media content was broadcast; and
 wherein the awards decision system further considers the data representative of competing media available during the time period when the media content was broadcast for calculating awards points.   
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the brand federated data report further comprises data representative of a rating for the media content; and
 wherein the awards decision system further considers the data representative of a rating for the media content for calculating awards points.   
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the brand federated data report further comprises a unique user identification for identifying the viewer of the content. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the interface receives brand federated reports from a plurality of service providers of pre-defined media; and
 wherein the awards decision system further considers data from all of the brand federated reports for calculating awards points.   
     
     
         9 . A method, comprising:
 receiving data indicating a user is requesting to be included into a loyalty program, wherein the loyalty program includes a plurality of loyalty programs associated with a plurality of brands;   receiving from a Brand Awards Program Controller associated with a one of the plurality of loyalty programs data representative of rules for validating viewer behavior for each of the plurality of loyalty programs;   receiving a raw engagement report comprising data representative of user engagement with a pre-defined media;   generating by the validation filter, a first validated engagement report based on the data representative of media activity and first rules for validating view behavior associated with a first of the plurality of loyalty programs;   generating by the validation filter, a second validated engagement report based on the data representative of media activity and a second rules for validating view behavior associated with a second of the plurality of loyalty programs;   forwarding the first validated engagement report to a Brand Awards Program Controller associated with the first loyalty program; and   forwarding the second validated engagement report to a brand awards program controller associated with the second loyalty program.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising receiving a unique user identifier for the user requesting to be included into the loyalty program;
 wherein the same unique identifier is employed to identify the user with all of the plurality of loyalty programs.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising receiving data verifying the user is acknowledging acceptance into all of the plurality of loyalty programs. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the raw engagement report further comprises data indicating whether an audio component associated with the pre-defined media was muted. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the raw engagement report further comprises an identifier for the content of the pre-defined media. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the raw engagement report further comprises data indicating which portions of the media were engaged by the user. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising determining federated brands associated with a first brand associated with the first loyalty program; and
 disturbing the validated engagement report to the federated brands.   
     
     
         16 . Logic encoded in a non-transitory computer readable medium for execution by a processor, and when executed by a processor operable to:
 obtain data representative of viewer engagement with a pre-defined media content, the data representative of viewer engagement comprises data indicating a viewing mode employed to engage the pre-defined media;   calculating awards points based on the viewer engagement with the pre-defined media and the viewing mode.   
     
     
         17 . The logic of  claim 16 , wherein the viewing mode is one of a full screen mode, a visible but less than full size mode, or a minimized mode;
 wherein more awards points are awarded for full size mode than the visible but less than full size mode, and more awards points are awarded for the visible but less than full size mode than the minimized mode.   
     
     
         18 . The logic of  claim 16 , wherein the data representative of viewer engagement with a predefined media content comprises data indicating whether audio associated with the pre-defined media content was muted. 
     
     
         19 . The logic of  claim 16 , wherein the data representative of viewer engagement with the predefined media content comprises data representative of a type of device employed to engage with the predefined media content; and
 wherein calculating awards points is further based on the type of device employed to engage with the predefined media content.   
     
     
         20 . The logic of  claim 16 , wherein awards points are calculated for multiple brands based on viewer engagement with the same predefined media content.